The Lord of Saturn's Rings
by Glory1863
Summary: Welcome to a collection of Reed-centric drabbles mixing Star Trek: Enterprise with the imagery of The Lord of the Rings.
1. Earth

Note: The greatest of space legends begins with the birth of a small, dark-haired boy in a most unlikely place.

For generations, the men of the House of Reed tilled the soil of the green shire of England. It was all they knew. They were content and took joy in it until a son was born who chafed at the pastoral life and sought adventure upon the high seas.

For generations following, the men of the House of Reed sailed on or beneath the sea in defense of the green shire of England until a son was born who yearned for adventure among the stars. It was his destiny to defend the blue world. He knew this in his heart.


	2. Precious Lost

Note: The origin of the ring of power and how it came to Reed.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,  
>Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,<br>Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,  
>One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne,<br>In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

J. R. R. Tolkien

The being called "Daniels" could pass as human, though one could not say with certainty what he was. His people had conquered time but had not conquered strife. To mold the timeline to their liking, they had fabricated rings of power. Some they gave to elegant Vulcans with pointed ears, though that tribe split and some were lost to darkness. Some they gave to Andorians, miners in the ice. Some were given to humans of the bright blue world. It was there that the One Ring that controlled them all slipped unfelt from his finger. The precious thing was gone!


	3. Precious Found

For four long and lonely years he studied at the Academy by the bay. He mastered all that was required of him and earned not one demerit. On a warm spring day he donned a dress uniform and received an officer's commission, an ensign's pip and a jeweled ring that caught the light and reflected it in a myriad of colors as if it were a living thing. For this, he'd given up both family and home, and it was precious to him. He wore it all that day, then put it safely away in the bottom of his kit.


	4. Wraith

Note: Reed's first assignment with Starfleet might well have been his last as evil nearly overwhelmed him.

His first assignment was with Harris in a unit called The Section. The weapons, gadgets, secrecy and danger appealed to him until the day he looked into a mirror and saw an old man looking back: Worn black garments, gray shadows haunting blue eyes, pallid skin that never saw the sun. The search for that which made the seen unseen drained life from him and tarnished the bright promise of the precious ring. _Enterprise _and its armory would be his salvation. The spy master was livid when the transfer was approved, but Reed walked away with never a backward glance.


	5. Fellowship

Note: A long journey of many adventures is well and truly begun.

He had grown accustomed to working alone, to never having a place to call his home. Now he was the protector of the ship, its crew and even of his world. Despite his training, it nearly overwhelmed him.

"I shall offer you logic," said T'Pol.

"I'll give you speed," said Tucker.

"I'll make you understood," said Sato.

"I'll get you where you need to go," said Mayweather.

"I shall heal your wounds," said Phlox.

"I'll feed you pineapple," said Chef.

Porthos barked and licked his hand in an unmistakable sign of trust.

"You see, Malcolm, you're not alone," said Archer.


	6. Wizards

Note: Reed begins to show how truly exceptional he is, but he is not the only one. Spoiler for _Silent Enemy_.

When the alien attack came, he found his ship woefully undergunned. They had parts and specifications for a phase cannon. They could replicate, assemble and deploy the great guns themselves.

He and Tucker were brilliant men, thus competition ensued, some friendly, some decidedly not:

"You are not hot-wiring your guns to my engine!"

"The risk is acceptable."

"We can reroute the recoil energy to the gravity plating."

When the aliens came back, they never knew what hit them.

A pineapple birthday cake and the captain's praise was his reward. He and Trip were wizards, and the cake was "wizard", too.


	7. Fireworks

Note: Who says a wizard must be serious at all times and can't have any fun?

His love of explosions was well known throughout the ship_. _There were those who doubtless thought him daft as he spent his free time fine-tuning phase pistols and upgrading phase cannons. When on duty, he constantly checked and realigned the targeting sensors. One fine summer evening, they came across an asteroid field. The captain indulged his armory officer.

"You may fire as you please, Malcolm."

Deft hands flew across the console. Great streams of fire flowed from the ship. The rocks broke apart in great flashes as brilliant as his smile, a smile mirrored on the faces of the crew.


	8. Innocents Abroad

Note: In the great wide universe beyond the planet Earth, things are not always what they appear to be. Spoiler for _Two Days and Two Nights_.

Commander Charles Tucker does not know the meaning of the word "discreet." His hideous taste in clothes demands that he be noticed. He chats up anything female or anything appearing female as out here it is sometimes difficult to tell. He prattles on about Earth, _Enterprise _and the warp drive heedless of whose ears might hear. He thinks that all are friends. And yet, there Reed was beside him chained to a post in a dingy basement in his underwear.

He could just image Soval hovering in the background in his gray robes taking it all in and clearly disapproving.


	9. Insurmountable

Note: The universe is a very dangerous place for young humans. Spoiler for _Shuttlepod One_.

Mind and body numbed. Drifting. Old lesson remembered. Lose 3 degrees in temperature for every 1000 feet gained in altitude. Hiking with Tucker in the misty mountains, higher, colder, into the clouds. Beautiful like the Brecon Beacons back home but suddenly treacherous and dangerous like them, too. Snow, lovely large flakes, but falling faster, deeper. They'd found a cave, ate, drank, reminisced and fought about who would go for help before deciding it better to die together.

". . . pod 1, . . . _Enterprise . . . _read?"

It couldn't be. Only a dream. They'd seen them dead.


	10. Prophecy

Note: Reed comes to understand the price he may pay for being a man of destiny. Spoiler for _E2_.

"Will you look into the flame?" the beautiful woman with the delicately pointed ears asked.

"What will I see?" he replied.

"It is difficult to say. The past. The present. That which may be," she answered as she lit the great white candle.

Blue-gray eyes stared into the hypnotically wavering flame and saw another _Enterprise_, but different, a generational ship. Their Malcolm Reed had died alone, the last of his house.

"You were born to be the ring bearer, the protector. It is your destiny. You will always be alone," T'Pol said without emotion though pain filled her dark eyes.


	11. Mine

Note: Even heroes may know despair. Spoiler for _Minefield_.

"Run," he'd screamed countless times before while covering their backs, taking the wounds meant for them and falling into a pit of darkness only to awake to sickbay's bright light.

This time, live ordnance pinned him to the hull, but the enemy demanded that they leave immediately nonetheless.

"Detach this section of the hull and go, Captain."

Archer wouldn't listen, didn't want to lose this valuable man.

He was the protector. It was his duty and his right to die to save them. _I'll make it easy for him_, he thought. "Run," he whispered as he disconnected his oxygen supply.


	12. Rivalry

Note: Even allies have their issues. Spoiler for _Harbinger_.

Interservice rivalry was certainly nothing new. Back home, the debate had always been whether Nelson or Wellington was the greater. He just hadn't expect it here. Then Hayes and his lumbering MACOs appeared. They had all the finesse of a broadax. His own people were fleet, elegant, true as arrows, perfectly capable of defending the ship alone.

It started small, as these things often do, but escalated from looks, to words, to fists and ended only when Phlox declared the injuries a draw.

Two things were gained in equal measure: Archer's anger and, curiously, a greater respect for one another.


	13. Monsters

Note: Some monsters are real, but some are only in our minds. Spoiler for _The Hatchery_.

"That must have been ghastly, Trip." Reed knew Tucker had a thing about insects, starting with the palmetto bugs back home. Of all the Xindi, he hated the insectoids the most.

"You should have seen him, Malcolm. Those little roaches crawling all over him. He was playin' with them like they were his kids. He had this big, goofy smile on his face."

"So you stunned him?"

"Yeah, I did. But you know what? I kept imagining a mama roach the size of an asteroid coming to get the _Enterprise_. We've got to get the hell out of here now!"


	14. Wormtongue

Note: Under the influence of evil, people may not be who you think they are.

"I'm not in the mood, Mal. Maybe some other time."

"I don't want to talk about it, Malcolm."

"Damn it, what part of 'no' don't you understand, Reed?"

"You are dismissed, Lieutenant."

He had thought Trip Tucker was his friend, that they could share each other's burdens, lighten each other's loads. Clearly, he had been mistaken.

Had his father somehow known of the prophecy when he'd warned him never to fraternize with a superior? Had he tried to evade it altogether by demanding he join the Royal Navy?

You are the ring bearer, the protector. You will always be alone.


	15. Doom Archer POV

Note: They had faced countless dangers together to defeat this evil. Now, one must take the final step. Spoiler for _Zero Hour_.

Why is Malcolm always so ready to die? Why doesn't he understand that I need him to live? He's done all that he can for me. I must destroy this weapon, even if it means my life. It's my duty. His father would understand. I rely on him to get Hoshi safely out of here. I rely on him to get them all safely home. T'Pol has the brains but not the touch for a human crew. Trip can't handle yet another loss. Only Malcolm can hold them together.

"Give me the charges and go. I'll be right behind you."


	16. Doom Reed POV

"Give me the charges and go. I'll be right behind you."

I knew the captain spoke false. I'd tried to persuade him otherwise, yet it was never my way to disobey a direct order, and there was Hoshi's safety to consider.

Why doesn't the captain understand that he is the heart and soul of _Enterprise_? T'Pol is brilliant, but not herself of late, and finds a human crew "most challenging." Part of Trip died with his sister, now the rest will die with Archer. I am expendable. The death of Malcolm Reed would be no loss. It is my duty.


	17. One Ring to Bind Them

Note: Reed at last uses the ring of power.

One Ring to rule them all,  
>One Ring to find them,<br>One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them  
>In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.<p>

J. R. R. Tolkien

Evil was abroad in the distant border systems, the unnamed darkness moving ever closer to the bright blue world. Admiral Lord Reed, for so he was now, stood before the softly glowing celestial map in the situation room, officers of the federated worlds beside him: Fiery Andorian of the ice world, cold Vulcan of the desert world and argumentative Tellarite.

"It is agreed? We meet their fleet here." He pointed to the nebula. The ring of power on his left hand shown blood red in the dim light.

A single word. "Yes." No argument.

"Logical."

"The debt will be repaid."


	18. Final Haven

Note: What remains for a ring bearer and protector once he's saved his world? What remains for an aging body no longer quite so fine?

He came back to Earth a hero, but heart, body, mind and soul he yearned for something he could not define. One warm spring day he donned the dress uniform now heavy with medals and gilt braid, wore the ring again on his left hand, and traveled to the bay to board a ship with silver sails.

"You've done well, son," said his father.

"Welcome aboard, sir," said Hayes as the sound of the bosun's whistle died away.

"Good to see you again, Malcolm," said Trip. "We couldn't leave without you. This ship must make warp 10!"

He was home.


	19. Into the West

He was astonished by the number of people on the quay who'd come to see him off. Archer, once his captain, now Federation president. T'Pol who had forsaken the warmth of Vulcan for the warmth of human love. Travis and Hoshi with a gaggle of children who called him "uncle" in languages too numerous to count. Shran, the warrior Andorian, and Jhamel, his peacemaker Aenar wife, and their child, Talla, the best of them both. The ship sped into the sunset and soon sailed among the rings of Saturn. Malcolm, the ring bearer, the protector, would never feel alone again.


	20. Truth of the Heart

Note: Legends never die.

"The Lord Of The Rings" is a mythology. It is a fairy tale. It is an adventure story. It never happened, except somewhere in our hearts."

Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf the wizard)"  
>A Passage To Middle Earth", a SCI-FI Channel Special<p>

On an Iowa farm, a mother called her son, "James Tiberius Kirk, put down that PADD! There are chores to be done!" She couldn't understand the boy's fascination with the adventures of the old _Enterprise_, Archer, Reed, Tucker and that Vulcan T'Pol. They were half legend and half myth, if you asked her.

Kirk pressed the starter on the combine. In his imagination, the warp drive engaged. A new adventure awaited. His folks were good people, but they just didn't get it. He yearned to fly among the stars. He knew the stories were true, if only in his heart.


End file.
